More than two-thirds of women serving in the United Kingdom’s armed forces have experienced some form of sexualised behaviour within the past year, according to the first comprehensive, military-wide survey on the subject. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) released the results on November 13, 2025, revealing a deeply troubling picture of life for female personnel—one that government leaders and military chiefs have called “wholly unacceptable” and vowed to address through sweeping reforms.
The survey, which included responses from over 90,000 regular and reserve personnel across the army, navy, and air force, found that 67% of women and 34% of men reported experiencing at least one type of sexualised behaviour in the last 12 months. These behaviours ranged from inappropriate jokes and comments to leering, groping, and even non-consensual sexual activity. The findings have sent shockwaves through the military and wider British society, prompting urgent calls for change.
According to Reuters, the survey identified 19 distinct types of sexualised behaviour, divided into four categories: verbal, non-verbal, cyber, and physical. Jokes or comments of a sexual nature were the most commonly reported, with 58% of women and 26% of men saying they had encountered them. More alarmingly, 32% of women reported unwelcome touching, and nearly one in ten (8%) said they had been subjected to non-consensual sexual activity—an umbrella that could include assault or rape. The MoD clarified that the survey’s aim was to capture the breadth of experience and perception, not to record criminality.
“All those who choose to serve our country must be able to do so with dignity and respect, which is why today’s survey results are wholly unacceptable,” said Louise Sandher-Jones, Minister for Veterans and People, in an official statement quoted by BBC and The Guardian. She described the survey as a “no holds barred baseline, to fully confront and address the root causes of this issue,” and promised new standards in transparency and accountability across the armed forces.
Chief of the Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, echoed those sentiments, stating, “The results of the survey show just how much more I, and leaders at every level, need to do to stamp out behaviour which has no place in the UK Armed Forces.” He emphasized that operational effectiveness depends on personnel feeling safe and respected, and committed to “driving the cultural change needed.”
Women were found to be twice as likely as men to experience sexualised behaviours, and the impact was often severe. Of the women who reported such behaviour, 93% believed it amounted to sexual harassment. Forty-two percent said they had been stared or leered at, and a third reported being touched in a way that made them uncomfortable. The most common locations for these incidents were open workplaces at military home units or training bases, but they also occurred during deployments and exercises.
The survey also shed light on the reluctance to report these incidents. While women were more likely than men to tell someone about their experiences (48% versus 18%), a significant number chose not to. About a quarter of women who kept silent did so because they doubted anything would be done, while another quarter feared being seen as troublemakers. Formal complaints were rare: only 12% of affected women filed one, and just 10% went to the police. Many cited the involvement of senior officers among perpetrators—18% for women, compared to 13% for men—while more than half of the harassment came from junior ranks.
The MoD’s response has been multifaceted. As reported by The Times and The Guardian, specialist prevention teams are being deployed to training bases in Catterick, North Yorkshire, and the Plymouth naval base, with plans to expand the programme to Cyprus and a Royal Air Force base by 2026. The training will focus on educating recruits about consent, misogyny, and the dangers of harmful online influences, including so-called incel culture. The MoD has also introduced independent reporting mechanisms and a new Service complaints app, which have already led to more personnel coming forward with their concerns.
The roots of the problem, however, run deep. Only about 12% of the British military’s 137,000 regular personnel are women—a figure the MoD hopes to raise to 30% by the end of the decade. Yet, as Professor Anthony King of Exeter University concluded in a report for the army, the force remains “coded male,” and it is “very unlikely” that simply increasing recruitment will change its culture. Instead, systemic reform is needed to transform the military from a “masculine institution into a hyper-professional force.”
Recent years have seen a string of high-profile scandals involving bullying, abuse, and sexual harassment across all branches of the armed forces. The Royal Navy’s submarine service, the RAF’s Red Arrows, and various army units have all faced scrutiny. The tragic case of 19-year-old gunner Jaysley Beck, who took her own life in 2021 after being sexually harassed and assaulted by Warrant Officer Michael Webber—who was jailed for six months in October 2025—has become a symbol of the urgent need for change. Senior officers were criticized for failing to properly investigate her complaint, highlighting flaws in the complaints system itself. The Service Complaints Ombudsman has described the current system as neither “efficient, effective nor fair.”
Emma Norton, director of the Centre for Military Justice, told The Guardian that the research “sadly reflects what all our female clients would say, which is that they are experiencing wholly disproportionate levels of sexual harassment.” She noted the low rates of formal reporting and the significant personal and professional risks women face when coming forward.
The government’s broader aim, as outlined in the survey’s release, is to halve violence against women and girls within a decade. The data from this survey is intended to drive prevention programmes and support schemes, not just for the military but as part of a central government mission. “This mission is deeply personal to me and I want our military to be the best in class on this issue,” said Sandher-Jones, herself a veteran.
Despite the grim statistics, there are signs of progress. The introduction of independent reporting channels and the commitment to regular, transparent surveys signal a shift toward greater accountability. Training and education on consent and standards are now being embedded from the earliest stages of military careers. Yet, as Air Chief Marshal Knighton put it, “to retain this reputation we must enforce the highest standards and actively root out unacceptable behaviours.”
The path ahead is daunting, but the message from both government and military leaders is clear: the culture of silence and tolerance for sexual harassment in the UK armed forces must end. For the thousands of women who serve, and for the integrity of the institution itself, real change cannot come soon enough.
